John 12:49 kjv
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
John 12:49 nkjv
For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.
John 12:49 niv
For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.
John 12:49 esv
For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment ? what to say and what to speak.
John 12:49 nlt
I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.
John 12 49 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 12:50 | I know that his commandment is eternal life. | Cross-reference to the following verse |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world... | Jesus as the source of eternal life |
| John 6:53-58 | Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. | Relationship between Jesus' words and life |
| John 8:28 | So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father taught me." | Jesus speaking what the Father taught Him |
| John 14:10 | Do you not believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, the Father who dwells in me is doing his works. | Jesus' divine authority and source of words |
| John 17:3 | Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. | Defining eternal life |
| 1 John 5:11 | And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. | Life is in Jesus |
| 1 John 5:20 | We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. | Knowing the true God and eternal life |
| Galatians 1:12 | I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, except through a revelation from Jesus Christ. | Divine origination of Jesus' teaching |
| Acts 17:25 | And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, since he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. | God as the giver of life |
| Deut 18:18 | I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. | Prophetic fulfillment |
| Jer 1:7 | But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a young man.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. | God putting words in the prophet's mouth |
| Isa 55:11 | so shall my word be that goes out of my mouth: it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish what I please and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. | Efficacy of God's word |
| Luke 10:16 | Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” | Authority of those sent by Jesus |
| John 7:16 | Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me." | Jesus' teaching is from the Father |
| John 14:24 | Anyone who does not love me will not keep my words. My teaching is not my own; it comes from the one who sent me. | Love for Jesus, obedience to His words |
| Col 1:10 | so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, | Living a life pleasing to God |
| 1 Peter 1:23 | for you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. | The enduring Word of God |
| Phil 2:16 | holding fast to the word of life. Then I will be glad on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. | Holding to the word of life |
| Mark 1:15 | "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" | The coming of the Kingdom and repentance |
| Acts 3:22 | For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. | Mosaic prophecy about Jesus |
John 12 verses
John 12 49 Meaning
Jesus states that the Father gave Him commandments, and these are eternal life. What Jesus speaks is directly from the Father. His message is not His own invention but divine revelation, the very words of eternal life.
John 12 49 Context
In John 12, Jesus has just arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover. He speaks about His imminent death, comparing it to a grain of wheat dying to produce much fruit. He addresses His disciples’ questions about who will betray Him, and the disciples then ask about His glory. Jesus responds by talking about His crucifixion and glorification. This verse (12:49) follows His declaration that He has not spoken on His own authority but that the Father who sent Him gave Him commandments about what to say and how to speak. The previous verse (12:48) is crucial as it states that the word Jesus has spoken will be the judge in the last day. This chapter is thus set in the immediate lead-up to the Passion, highlighting the divine origin and ultimate authority of Jesus' words.
John 12 49 Word analysis
- and (Greek: καί, kai): A common conjunction connecting phrases or clauses, signifying addition or continuation.
- the (Greek: ὁ, ho; ἡ, hē; τό, to): The definite article, indicating specificity.
- commandment (Greek: ἐντολή, entolē): A command, order, precept, instruction, injunction. Here it refers to the divine instructions given by the Father to Jesus.
- is (Greek: ἔστιν, estin): The third-person singular present indicative of εἰμί (eimi), meaning "to be."
- eternal (Greek: αἰώνιος, aiōnios): Pertaining to an age, everlasting, perpetual, unending. It signifies a quality or state that transcends temporal limitations.
- life (Greek: ζωή, zōē): Life, in its broadest and fullest sense, referring to divine, spiritual, and eternal life.
Words-group analysis
- the commandment is eternal life: This phrase connects God's instruction directly to the very essence of eternal life, not just as a path to it, but as the core substance of it. This implies that abiding by God's word is participating in divine, unending existence.
- What I speak: This refers to Jesus' verbal ministry – His teachings, proclamations, and instructions.
- just as the Father commanded me, so I speak: This underscores Jesus' perfect obedience and submission to the Father's will and word. His message is not self-generated but divinely mediated.
John 12 49 Bonus section
The concept of "eternal life" in John is not just about endless duration but about a qualitative life experienced now, a present communion with God through Jesus. This verse echoes Old Testament prophetic commissions where prophets received words directly from God to speak, such as in Deuteronomy 18:18. Jesus, however, is presented not just as a prophet but as the Son Himself, and His word is the final revelation. His speaking is God's speaking, and His life is God's life. The ultimate consequence of rejecting Jesus' words is judgment, as stated in the preceding verse, highlighting the profound stakes of His divine message.
John 12 49 Commentary
Jesus reveals that His entire message is a direct impartation from the Father. The "commandment" is not a mere legalistic rule but the very substance of God's life, which is eternal. Therefore, what Jesus says is the means by which humanity can access and participate in God's everlasting life. His words are life-giving because they originate from the Fount of Life itself. His absolute adherence to the Father's commission ensures that His words carry the full authority and power of God, serving as the ultimate standard and arbiter for humanity on the final day. This emphasizes the necessity of hearing and obeying Jesus' words for salvation and eternal life.